If you're a hockey fan who also loves figure skating, or enjoys seeing players trying to figure skate, you're in luck. Battle of the Blades, which ran on Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC, is back for the first time since 2013. Starting Thursday, September 19th, seven contestants will battle it out with their figure skating partners to see if they can be the last pair standing at the end of the season.
This year's field of contestants features five former NHL players, as well as two well-known female hockey players. Here is the complete list:
Amanda Kessel
An Olympic gold and silver medalist with Team USA and, of course, the sister of Phil Kessel, now of the Arizona Coyotes. The 28-year-old's name is synonymous with women's hockey in the United States.
Natalie Spooner
Spooner, also 28, has won gold and silver Olympic medals with Team Canada and is the first woman in hockey history to claim the gold medal in the Olympic Winter Games and the Clarkson Cup (CWHL) in the same year.
Colton Orr
An 18-year veteran of the NHL, the former Maple Leaf, Ranger and Bruin retired with more than 1100 PIMs
Bruno Gervais
Gervais played for Tampa Bay, the New York Islanders and Philadelphia. He saw action in 418 NHL games throughout his career.
Brian McGrattan
McGratton played 14 seasons in the NHL and now serves as Director of Player Assistance for the Calgary Flames. McGratton holds the AHL record for most penalty minutes in one season with 551.
Sheldon Kennedy
Kennedy played 318 NHL games as a member of the Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings. Kennedy was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2014 for “his courageous leadership in raising awareness of childhood sexual abuse and his continued efforts to prevent abuse in schools, sports and communities.”
PJ Stock
Stock has appeared as both a contestant and a judge on Battle of the Blades. He was not slated to take part in this season, but stepped up after Colby Armstrong was injured while training for the show. Stock played 235 NHL games and also served as an analyst on Sportsnet from 2013 to 2016.
The show will be hosted by Ron MacLean, of Hockey Night in Canada, and will feature Kurt Browning as head judge, while Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will serve as guest judges on select episodes.
Battle of the Blades was initially broadcast on CBC from 2009 to 2013 and remains the highest-rated original English-language Canadian format of all time.
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